At last, the weather is warming up, and Spring is in full swing!

So it’s perfect that today’s carnival entries include plenty of vacation ideas, including a new spin on the very idea of what a vacation can be. Perhaps even more importantly, some of today’s entries reflect on the concept of “home” itself.

If you’ve submitted to the BTBC in the past, you may have noticed that BlogCarnival.com was down for the past few weeks. If you meant to submit but couldn’t because of the outage, please submit a quality piece to be considered for the next BTBC which will be coming in May, which I think be an especially big one.

The Best of BTBC #11

If you’re new to blog carnivals, they’re one of the best ways to discover awesome new content you never would have discovered otherwise. And each time I publish a BTBC, I love to highlight three articles that really stick with me, ones you shouldn’t miss. This time I’d like to highlight:

1. An Evening Out in Monmarte and Pigalle Paris by Shanna Schultz is an interesting glimpse into Paris’ Red District, including some great safety tips. Interestingly, she describes it as “a place where one could straddle the line between normal and risque…like you could dip your toes into the dark pool that is the sultry seductive pool of Paris’ other side.” Definitely an interesting read.
2. How I Went From Teaching High School To Traveling Around North America… by Tathata is a disarmingly honest and raw tale about how a great adventure, letting a man named Adi go (a different Adi, not me), and an auto shop led one writer to a completely new understanding of what “pain” and “beauty” really are.
3. Only in Norway: Some lessons I’ve learned from living up here by Andy Higgs is a fun examination of the many quirks and wonders of what its like to live in Norway. According to the article, even though not everyone has a cabin and a boat to zip about in (as the rumors say), everyone can get up to a year of maternity leave. Yes, a year. And on a completely unrelated note, the Norwegian brown cheese apparently does grow on you. (Not literally, though!)

A Reminder & A Win-Win-Win

And before I forget, if one of your articles is in this month’s edition, I’d really appreciate it if you could retweet, stumble, and “Like” this carnival on Facebook. Remember, spreading the word multiplies the reach of this blog carnival which in turn helps more people discover your article and grows your site. (And if you aren’t yet a submitter, find out how you too can join in farther down.)

Thanks again for submitting to the BTBC. By doing so, you reach many people, many of which have never even seen your site before, so it’s a real win-win-win situation.

So, without further ado, let’s explore the wonders of Norway, Paris’ Red Light District, the surprises of Ottawa, the picturesque streets of Lisbon, and beyond…

Travel Destinations

Shanna Schultz presents:
An Adult Evening Out in Monmarte and Pigalle Paris (Paris’ Red Light District) posted at There and Back Again, saying,

“Our evening out in Monmarte and Pigalle Paris (Paris’ Red Light District) as well as some great ideas to help you plan your visit.”

Theresa Torres presents:
Top 7 Eco Friendly Travel Destinations posted at Lodging World (site down), saying,

“If you’re planning to travel and prefer somewhere closer to nature, here are 7 great destinations for you to enjoy the natural environment and local culture.”

Travel Photography

Sarah presents:
Lisbon Romance posted at Natsumi.

Travel Stories

Tathata presents:
How I Went From Teaching High School To Traveling Around North America To Returning Home To Work In An Autoshop posted at That Which Really Is, saying,

“In 2010, I left my job and promising career, got rid of most of my belongings, left my city, and took to the road to work with horses on ranches around the US and Canada. I aimed to learn everything I could about horses, and ended up learning a lot more about myself.”

Anwar presents:
Gunpowder Plot Day posted at Beyond My Front Door, saying,

“The history of the Gunpowder plot, how the day has changed, and my experience of it when I traveled to the UK in November.”

Andy Higgs presents:
Only in Norway… Some lessons I’ve learned from living up here posted at Grown-up Travel Guide.

Travel Tips

Hayley Picchini presents:
Volunteer Vacations – Give, Enjoy, and Rejuvenate All At Once posted at Classy Not Pricey, saying,

“Information on alternative travel opportunities that include a component of giving back and volunteerism.”

Hayley Picchini presents:
From Romania to Israel to Paris – Traveling for free with miles, points, and other tricks posted at Classy Not Pricey, saying,

“Key tips for earning points & miles to travel (at the international level) for free.”

Anwar presents:
Five Fun things to do in Ottawa in the Winter posted at Beyond My Front Door, saying,

“Tips on what to do in Ottawa during the long cold winters as seen from my trip there in the winter of 2012.”

Theresa Torres presents:
Traveling Without Breaking Your Bank Account posted at Digital Photo Buzz, saying,

“There are plenty of ways we can save on our travels. Here are some suggestions on how we can enjoy ourselves without breaking the bank.”

Care to grow your blog’s audience?

If you write well (and you’ve written something that relates to travel), and you haven’t submitted to the BTBC before, can I ask you a question? What are you waiting for? Blog Carnivals are an amazing and free way to get more exposure to your work, so you’d be silly not to take advantage of this opportunity.

I know this from firsthand experience because blog carnivals have been helpful in spreading the word about Byteful Travel. So if you’re a writer, and you’ve written something that relates to travel, submit a piece you’re proud of to the next BTBC by going to the submission form. Just remember to read the ground rules. (And to see past posts and future hosts, check the blog carnival index.)

Also, if you enjoyed the carnival, you’ll probably enjoy the Byteful Travel Weekly Recap, as well. It automatically collects the best content from writers I’ve hand-picked from around the web (most of which I’ve discovered because they’ve submitted to the BTBC).

Coming up on Byteful Travel:

Soon we explore the wonders of a verdant Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, complete with a hidden sea monster. And not long after that, we explore Las Vegas, so be sure to subscribe and stay in touch. And until next time, may your travels enlighten your soul to fresh insights, new connections, and powerful experiences.

Even though winter may be in full swing where I am, the articles in today’s blog carnival are refreshingly tropical!

In fact, I’m really happy to say that, despite being the dead of winter, we had plenty of lovely submissions this time. You’re all in for a treat. (And if you’re new to blog carnivals, they’re one of the best ways to discover awesome new content you never would have discovered otherwise; so you’d best put seat belts on your eyes, because they’re in for a travelistic ride.)

The Best of BTBC #10

If you don’t have time to read all of the articles now, fear not. Each time I publish a BTBC, I love to highlight three articles that really stick with me that you shouldn’t miss. And this time I’d like to highlight:

1. 24 hours of love by Bastiaan Reinink is a very short but gripping story about the beautiful things that can happen if you travel with an open heart.
2. Scotch and Coconut Water by Curt & Lorrie is a well-documented tale of what it’s like to experience Vieques Island in Puerto Rico, as well as explore some of the islands more interesting features. Cool video clips included, too!
3. Hiking Trail on Hawaii’s Kohala Coast by The Vacation Gals is a fantastic post about the Ala Kahakai trail on the Big Island of Hawaii, featuring some great photos to support the story. Best of all, it shows how much more meaningful it is when we understand the history and culture of the places we tread.

A Reminder & A Win-Win-Win

And before I forget, if one of your articles is in this month’s edition, I’d really appreciate it if you could retweet, stumble, and “Like” this article on Facebook! Remember, spreading the word multiplies the reach of this blog carnival which in turn helps more people discover your article and grows your site. (And if you aren’t yet a submitter, find out how you too can join in farther down.)

Thanks again for submitting to the BTBC. By doing so, you reach many people, many of which have never even seen your site before, so it’s a real win-win-win situation. 🙂

So, without further ado, let’s journey from the warm breezes of Hawaii, to the Fountains of Switzerland, to beaches of Vieques Island, and beyond…

Travel Destinations

Jennifer Miner presents:
Hiking Trail on Hawaii’s Kohala Coast posted at The Vacation Gals, saying,

“Hiking this historic trail on Hawaii’s Big Island adds a cultural experience to a beach vacation.”

Zhu presents:
In The Woods posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying,

“On the weekend of November 11, I packed a small bag, left my computer and my city life behind and headed to Bourget, a small village in Eastern Ontario – a world of farms, straight roads and no traffic. Welcome to the countryside.”

Martine presents:
Half of the Wagons go to Lanzarote posted at The Wanderly Wagons.

Martine presents:
And the other half goes to Andalucia posted at The Wanderly Wagons.

Michael Turtle presents:
Rio’s tourism paradox posted at Time Travel Turtle.

Travel Photography

Indrani Ghose presents:
Fountains of Berns, Switzerland posted at i Share, saying,

“Statues sighted during walking tour of Berns, Switzerland.”

Brooke Allen presents:
Big Sky, Montana, New Year’s 2012, Part II posted at Rambling Brooke.

Travel Stories

Bastiaan Reinink presents:
24 hours of love posted at Perpetual Wonder, saying,

“24 hours of South America. I’ve fallen in love. I’ve broken my heart. Could the next 24 hours please be a little bit less eventful?”

Tui Snider presents:
Venice, Italy’s Warped Sense of Scale posted at Mental Mosaic, saying,

“A recent visit to Venice, Italy got me thinking about the meaning of scale. Check out these photos and you will see what I mean; it’s not trick photography: those huge luxury yachts truly dwarf this graceful floating village.”

Shanna Schultz presents:
Boldly Go: How Travel Has Changed my Outlook on the World posted at There and Back Again.

Bastiaan Reinink presents:
Free hugs posted at Perpetual Wonder.

Curt presents:
Scotch and Coconut Water posted at After the Mortgage.

Travel Tips

Theresa Torres presents:
Travel Guest Post: Fashion Tips for the World Traveler posted at Jetsetera, saying,

“Being able to blend in with the locals when you travel to other places has its advantages. Here are some fashion tips to guide the traveler.”

April D. Thompson presents:
How I Make This Travel Thing Work posted at The Absolute Travel Addict, saying,

“3 Key things to think about when deciding to travel more.”

Megan presents:
Social Awareness Posts: A Preface posted at La Vida en Viaje.

Dawn Xiana Moon presents:
Poutine: La Banquise posted at Kitchen Lore.

Care to grow your blog’s audience?

If you write well (and you’ve written something that relates to travel), and you haven’t submitted to the BTBC before, what are you waiting for? Blog Carnivals are an amazing and free way to get more exposure to your work, so you’d be silly not to take advantage of this opportunity.

I know this from firsthand experience because blog carnivals have been helpful in spreading the word about Byteful Travel. So if you’re a writer, and you’ve written something that relates to travel, submit a piece you’re proud of to the next BTBC by going to the submission form. Just remember to read the rules, okay? (And to see past posts and future hosts, check the blog carnival index.)

Are you ready to become a force for positive connections?

In November, Tui from over at Mental Mosaic stepped up and hosted BTBC #9. She did a great job and got some great attention through social media, as well as getting rated 5 stars on BlogCarnival.com. Thanks again, Tui!

If you have a travel-related blog and you’re interested in hosting the BTBC, please contact me. Not only will hosting attract more attention to your blog, it helps bring the travel writing community closer, too. Remember, whenever you host a carnival, you become a positive force that allows connections to manifest.

Looking for more handpicked travel content?

If you enjoyed today’s carnival, you’ll probably enjoy the Byteful Travel Weekly Recap, as well. It automatically collects the best content from writers I’ve hand-picked from across the web, most of which I’ve discovered because they’ve submitted to the Byteful Travel Blog Carnival. In fact, since it automatically updates every Monday, it always has fresh articles from my fellow travel writers. The other thing I really like about it is that it presents the articles in a very readable newspaper layout, so finding something you like is really easy: Byteful Travel Weekly Recap

If you’d like your content to get exposure through the Byteful Travel Weekly Recap, then submit a quality piece to the BTBC. If you’re included in a carnival, you’ll be added to the BT Weekly Recap list.

Coming up on Byteful Travel:

We touch California redwoods within Muir Woods Natl. Monument, as well as a get a stunning view of the San Francisco Bay from the top of Mount Tamalpais. And after that, we explore Las Vegas, so be sure to subscribe and stay in touch. And until next time, may your travels enlighten your soul to fresh insights, new connections, and powerful realizations. 🙂